Dual citizenship

This morning, my calendar popped up with an anniversary reminder. It's 32 years since I became a dual citizen. Living in Australia and becoming an Australian citizen was never the grand plan for my life. Instead, thanks to a fortuitous set of circumstances, I came to live here.

Back then, becoming an Australian citizen was a relatively simple exercise, at least for New Zealanders. I completed an application, paid a relatively modest fee and attended a brief screening interview. A few months later, I received a letter advising that my application was approved. I duly attended a citizenship ceremony in the Hornsby Council Chambers and officially became an Australian on 29 March 1993.

These days, the process takes a year or more, costs a small fortune, and involves a mountain of paperwork, police checks, medical examinations, and other bureaucratic hurdles. I still vividly recall my screening interview at an office in Chatswood. 

I remember sitting in a waiting room filled with people. Most of the applicants that day were of Asian descent. I was one of the only Caucasians in the room. The interviewer emerged from an interview room and called my name, noting I was a New Zealand citizen. She breathed a sigh of relief and predicted a quick meeting. Apparently, I'd get her back on schedule. I was asked about my English proficiency, criminal record, and a few other details I can't recall. My interview then concluded.

A few months later, my friend Michele attended my citizenship ceremony. It seemed apt that she was there, given her pivotal role helping me settle in Australia. Afterwards, we enjoyed a remarkably unmemorable afternoon tea with local councillors before heading out for a celebration dinner.

My motivation for becoming a dual citizen was relatively straightforward. After living in Australia for 2.5 years, I could see myself settling into a comfortable life. I couldn't imagine returning permanently to New Zealand any time soon. Hence, I didn't want a future Government or legislative change to hinder my ability to live or retire unconstrained in Australia. Once I discovered I could hold dual citizenship and thus maintain my New Zealand identity, becoming an Australian was an easy decision.

32 years later, I have no regrets. My Australian life has been blessed (just read this blog!). Australia has been good to me.

One final image that encapsulates my decision to settle in Australia. This photo was taken in Kuring-gai Chase National Park on the northern outskirts of Sydney. During my early years in Australia, I often caught the train to Berowra or Mount Kuring-gai and went bushwalking. The scenic spot shown above is Waratah Bay. It lies at the end of the Waratah Gully on the Berowa Track. 

It was here, by that rock, where I contemplated my future after being made redundant from IBM in 1991. At the time, I had a critical decision to make. Should I return to New Zealand after living in Sydney for nine months, or should I stay and look for a new job? I ultimately decided that day that I wanted to stay and build a life in Australia. The rest, as they say, is history.

UPDATE: 1 July

Last night, Auntie Pam answered a question that’s always bugged me. For years, my mother was unhappy with my decision to become a dual citizen. She made her displeasure abundantly clear. I never understood why. From my perspective, I never rejected the nationality of my birth; I’d simply gained a second one. Pam explained that Mum disliked it simply because it meant I was “never coming back”. She hated the thought of her firstborn living permanently so far from home.